2020 Land Rover Defender First D Auto — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,992 MOT tests analysed for the 2020 Land Rover Defender First D Auto, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes. Its pass rate of 90.9% was in line with the average for cars of a similar age (90.5%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 12.3% in the 60-90k group versus 5.7% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.5% | 106 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.2% | 96 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.9% | 56 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 46 |
| 5 | Visibility | 0.9% | 28 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.6% | 19 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 52 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 52 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 42 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 38 |
| 5 | Daytime running lamps | 27 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 25 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 16.4% | 490 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.7% | 380 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.9% | 146 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.8% | 114 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 28 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.7% | 21 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 961 | 5.7% |
| 30-60k | 1,716 | 10.5% |
| 60-90k | 300 | 12.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 979 | 8.0% |
| 2024 | 986 | 8.8% |
| 2025 | 1,002 | 10.8% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Defender First D Auto
Before buying a 2020 Land Rover Defender First D Auto, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 3.5% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (3.5% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (3.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (1.9% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2020 Land Rover Defender First D Autos pass their MOT?
90.9% of the 2,992 2020 Land Rover Defender First D Auto MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Land Rover Defender First D Auto?
Tyres, recorded in 3.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.2%).
Does the 2020 Defender First D Auto get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.7% in the 0-30k band to 12.3% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,992 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.